Container



A. HowlE 2,200,277

May 14, 1940.

' CONTAINER Filed Sept. 2l, 19.36 .3 Sheets-Sheet 1 /22r m\\s\w\swf INVENTOR. @fax ana/e# oza/'e ATTORNE May 14, 1940.V A HOWIE CONTAINER Filed Sept. 2l. 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 S, y O r Wg w 05m m. A f n a@ w 5.. .9 A Hr/MWMV/l, lvl/74747172 ,lll/,z 3

A. HOWIE CONTAINER May 14, 1940.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented May 14, 1940 UNITEDl STATESv PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER y Alexander Howie, cleveland Heights, ohio Application September 21, 1936, Serial No. 101,768

3 Claims.

This invention relates, as indicated, to containers, but has reference more particularly to the type of container knownr as an outer container, and which is usable in lieu of freight car or highway .truck bodies.

Containers of this type may have various forms and dimensions, but must conform to railroads, and highway clearance limits, as well as to those of industry. The y'maximum width ofk a railroad car' is governed by the clearance line established for general interchange service., which is now 109".y The maximum overall width of highway vehicles` has been established .at 80 `in all but two' of` the forty-eight states. Similarly, ythere are overall height limitations for highway vehicles and structures, the minimum overhead clearance on most main highways notfexceeding 12'6". `With most highway truck platforms nearly 3'6" above the road surface, the overall n height of an outer container should not exceed 80 for general service. Doors and openings in plant buildings and warehouses may impose' even smaller overall dimensions for containers.l Less denite limitations are imposed by existing standard lengths and load limitsofv railroad freight cars .and Yof highway vehic1es, and such standards must be considered in. determining f container dimensions. v

Y In View of the raforesaid dimensional limitations, it `has been tentatively determined that an outer container, of the dimensions-length, l0 ft., width, 8 ft.,height, 8 it., and having a load capacity of 500 cu. ft. and 25,000 pounds could be utilized to carry approximately 85% of all tonnage l suitable for carriage on freight-carrying vehicles,

regular scheduled movements of goods in quantities desired by shippers and consigners and which will greatly reduce empty-return hauls by rail and highway now required because present freight vehicles are not adapted to carry a sufficientiy wide variety of goods.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a container which is of a collapsible character, whereby it will occupy a minimum of space when not in `use, which is adapted to permit handling'` z thereofby lift-truck, rolling, slidingv and hoisting, and which is suitable' for handling products of a perishable nature. l y To the accomplishment of ,the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of thev means hereinafter fully described and particu-ly `1; Fig. 4 lis a fragmentary elevation, of one end of the container, showing the doors; Figs. 5 andare cross-sectional details, taken on the lines 5 5 and 6 6' respectively of Figs. 1 and 4; Fig. 'i is a crosssectional detail, as indicated by the lines'l--'lA in Figs. l and @showing the manner in which the` sections are folded when itis desired to open only the inner half of each door; Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional detail taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. '7; Fig. 9 is view similar to Fig. 7, but showing the manner in which the hinge bar is released when it is desiredto open the doors fully, as` shown in Fig. 2; Fig. l0v is a cross-sectional detail,taken on the liney iii-lt of Fig. 9; Fig. 11` is a crosssectional detail, taken on the line H-H of Fig.

4; and Fig. l2 isa'fragmentary elevation, as indicated by the arrows .I2-42 in Fig. 11.

The container, as shown in Fig. l,v comprises a base or platform I, side wall units 2 and 2', end

wall units 3, door units L ak cornice or top band 5 and a top or cover 6. Y

The base or platform l, as shown most clearly in Figs. l and 2, consists of four structural channels l and, the flange 9 of thesechannels extending inwardly towards the interior of the frame. 4

The base further includes skids in theform of structural I-beams lll, the webs' of which are ref cessed to receive thelower flanges of the channels l, which arewelded to the I-beams `Il) along the recesses. The upper lianges of the skids Il! lie in a plane somewhat below the plane of the upper flanges of channels 'l and 8, thereby providing space for a floor which preferably consists ofv boards il of hardwood or the like Portions of4 the outermost boards underlie the upper flanges of channels' l, while the ends of the boards underlie the upper anges of channels B and rest on-` angles I2 secured to the channels 8 and extending longitudinally thereof. Shackles or rings I3 are pivotally secured to the channels 1 to facilitate hoisting or lifting oi the container. Extending 5 between the channels 1 and parallel with the skids I are a pair of spaced channels I4 which serve to support the floor boards and also( as supports for the chutes to be presently7 described.

The side wall units 2, of which there are two l in number, are identical with each other in construction, so that a description of one of those vunits will be sufhcient. The construction of these units is best shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Each side wall unit 2 comprises a rectangular ll sheet metal panel I having secured thereto, as by welding the web thereof to the inner surface of the panel, a central vertically extending reinforcing channel I6, formed of sheet metal. The panel is also provided at one edge with a shallow 0 vertically extending channel I1, formed of sheet metal, and secured to the panel'as by welding one ilange of the channel to the panel.

The side wall units 2', of which there are also two in number, are identical in construction with the units 2, withthe exception that the edge of such unit which abuts the unit 2, is provided with a structural channel I1', which is somewhat deeper than the channel I1 and is considerably yWider than the latter, being, in fact, as wide as $0" the channel I6 is deep. Moreover, the channel I1 is so positioned that the flanges of channel I1 abut the web of the channel I 1. The units 2 and 2' are secured to each as by bolts 21 and nuts 28 (see Fig. 2).

' The end wall units, of which there are four in number, are identical in construction, so that a description of one unit will suce. 'I'he construction of these units is best shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6;

Each end wall unit comprises a rectangular sheet metal panel 29'having secured adjacent one edge thereof a sheet-metal channel 30, the erds of which are indented to form a rib 3l of generally kV-shaped cross-section. The end wall unit 461? is also provided adjacent one of its edges with a plurality of butt hinge halves 38, which support the doors of the container. Plywood linings 25 and 31 may be secured to the side and end l -wall respectively to provide an insulating space. IU'The side and end wall units are removably se cured in position to facilitate the disassembly of the container when desired.

Each end of the container is provided with a door unit 4, which extends between the channels 56136 and the end wall units. l

The door units are similar in construction, and each consists of a pair of doors 50. Each door is secured as by hinge plates 38 and consists of two sections 56a and 50h, secured to each other by 602y hinges of special construction which will be presently described.

Each door section a consists of a rectangular sheet metal pane1 52 provided at its upper and loweredges with inwardly extending flanges 53, BIS- at the vertical edge adjacent the hinge plates 5I with a similar ilange 54, and at its other vertical edge with a channel 55, the web 0f which is recessed as at 56 to provide a seat for a cushion strip 51 of rubber or the like. The panel 52 has 'lll'secured thereto reinforcing channels 58, in which are secured nailing strips 59 for supporting a lining 60 of plywood or the like. Invorder to seal the joint between door section 56a and the end wall unit, the ange 54 is provided .with a chan- 15 `nel 6I, in which is mounted a cushion strip 62 metal strips 64, are strips of rubber which serve 10 to seal the joints between the door section 50a and the cornice unit and between such section and the base when the doors are closed (see Fig. 3). In addition, there is secured to the `upper liange 53 a channel 66 containing a cushion strip 15 61 of rubber which is engaged and compressed by a bar 68 on the cornice unit.

The door section 50h is similar in construction to the section 56a, except that instead of being lianged at the vertical edge adjacent the channel 20 55 of section 50a it is provided with a channel 68, similar in all respects to the channel 55, and the web of which is recessed to provide a seat for a cushion strip 18 of rubber or the like. The other vertical edge of the section 50h is provided with 25 a channel 1I, the iront flange of which is narrower than the rear llange, and the web of which is provided with a channel 12 in which is mounted a cushion strip 13 of rubber. This strip 13 coop-Y erates with an angle 14 on the channel 1I of the II)y adjacent door section 50h to form a water-tight joint when the doors are closed, as shown in Fig. 5. Further sealingr at this joint is provided by a rubber strip 15 which is secured to the adjacent door section, as by means of a metalv strip s' 16 and the screw bolts 11 which secure the angle 14 to the channel 1I.

An important feature of the invention is the special type of hinge which is used to join the door sections 50D to section 58a. Each of these 40' hinges consists of a hinge bar 86 which extends substantially the full length of the door-and has welded to the opposite sides thereof rods 8|, der signed to engage the cushion strips 51 and 10 when the doors are closed so as to provide a 45 water-tight and noiseless joint between the door sections. Pivotally secured to the front edge of the bar 88 is a plurality of hinge plates 82, which are rigidly secured to the edge of the vfront panel of door section 50h. Pivotally secured to the rear 60v edge of the bar 8|) is a plurality'of hinge plates 83 which are rigidly secured in any suitable manner to the edge of door section 50a at the rear thereof.

When it is desired to open only the section 586 56 of the doorythe bar is locked to the channel 55, as shown in Figs. '7 and 8. For this purpose, a latch 84 is provided, which is secured as by a plate 85 to the door section 50a, and which, when in the position shown in Fig. 8, engages the bar 80 I 80 to lock the bar to the channel 55. With the latch in this position the door section 50bvmay be folded back against the front face of the door section 50a.I y

When it is' desired to open both sections of" 65 the door, the ybar 8D is released from engagement with the channel 55, as by turning the latcl to the position shown in Fig. 10, whereupon the bar may be moved away from the channel 55, the latch during such movement passing through an 70 opening 86 in the bar. When this is done, the door section 58a may be folded back upon the end wall unit, and the section 56h may be folded upon the inner surface of section 50a in the manner shownvinFigs. 2 and 9, leaving the door open- 75 ing, as shown in Fig. 2, entirely clear and free of obstructions, and thereby facilitating loading and unloading of the container. l

The cornice or top band 5 is shown-most clearly in Figs. 1 and 3. It comprises an upper frame consisting of wide structural channels 90 and narrow structural channels 9|, welded together at the corners, and a lower frame consisting of structural channels 92 similarly welded together and provided with metal strips 92a. These frames are connected by a Sheetmetal covering 93, which, except for the portions thereof above the door openings, extends below the joint between the wall units and the cornice, so as to preclude entry of water at this joint. Above the door openings, the sheet metal covering 93 is provided with L-shaped flanges 94, forming gutters for diverting the flow of water past both sides of the doorway.

The sheet metal covering 93 is suitably reinforced, as by means of spaced vertically extending channels similar to the channels yI6 of the Wall units and is also provided with nailer strips 95 for securing a plywood lining 96 to the band. Ceiling liners 91 are also secured to the channel 90 as by means of nailer strips 98.

The top or cover 6 is best seen in Figs. 1 and 3. It comprises asubstantially rectangular metal sheet 0| having down-turned ilanges |02 at its edges and provided on its lower surface with reinforcing channels |03 containing nailer strips |04 for supporting a plywood lining |05. l

For the purpose of admitting air into the container, for ventilation thereof, the metal sheet |0.| has welded thereto a plurality of spaced angle clips |06, whereby the cover is held in spaced relation to the top band and airmay enter the space between the sheet |0| and lining |05, passing into the container through ventilator grilles. f To facilitate filling of the container with bulk material or ice for refrigeration purposes hatches are provided in the cover, as shown in Fig. 1. For this purpose, the metal sheet |0| is provided with upstanding flanges forming a rectangular opening adapted to be closed by suitable hatch covers l0. To facilitate handling of the hatch covers, each is provided with a handle |1, which lies flat when not in use, and; in addition a checkered metal plate `or catwalk H8, the use of which is obvious, is secured to the'cover 6, extending the entire width of the container.

In addition to the shackles or rings I3, other lifting devices are provided, as shown in Fig. 1. Each of such `devices comprises a base plate having a bracket or lug |26 projecting outwardly therefrom and to which is pivotally secured a ring or shackle |21 for attachment to a hoisting device.

To facilitate unloading of bulk'material from the container, chutes are provided at opposite ends'of the base or platform adjacent the door openings, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

'Ihe opening IBI in the floor boards is disposed above the chute and may be closed as by a removable trap-door (not shown). The chute has a stationary and a movable portion, the latter beingheld up when not in use by means of a gate |50 supported by brackets |53.`r The lever |58 when swung in a clockwise direction acts to open the gate.

For locking the cover 6 to the top band, locking devices, such as shown in Fig. 3, are provided, consisting of a locking lever |62, which is pivotally mounted on a'pin |63 on the cover, the locking lever being swingableunder the lining 91 of the top band.

For locking each section to the base and top band, locking devices, such as shown in Figs. 4., 11 and 12 are provided. Each comprises a locking bolt |64, slidably mounted in a bearing |65 secured to the door section adjacent the top and bottom. This bolt may be projected into openings in the channels 1 or 92, as the case may be, or may be retracted from such channels when `the door sections are to be opened, the bolt being provided with an actuating pin |66 to facilitate movement of the bolt. This pin may be utilized to support the bolt on the bearing in projected or retracted position, as apparent from Fig. 12.

doors after the door sections have been closed.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the structure herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In a container of the type having a door opening and doors for closing said opening, each of which doors comprises at least two sections;

atively to one of said sections.

2. yIn a container of the type having a door opening and a door for closing said opening, which door comprises at least two sections and means for connecting said sections; said means comprising a hinge bar, hinge plates pivotally connected to one edge of said bar and secured to the front of one of the door sections adjacent one edge, hinge plates pivotally connected to the opposite edge of said bar and secured to the rear means secured to one yof the door sections and engageable with said bar to lock the latter against movement relatively to said section.

3. In a container of the type having a door opening and a door for closing said opening, which door comprises at least two sections and means. for connecting said sections; said means ycomprising a hinge bar having an opening therein, hinge plates pivotally connected to opposite edges of -said bar and respectively secured to said door sections adjacent their edges, and a latch secured to one of vsaid door sections and adapted to be passed through said bar opening and turned, whereby to latch said bar against movement relatively to the section to which the latch is secured.

v ALEXANDER HOWIE.

of the other door section adjacent one edge, and 

